Show-case



(No Model.)

F. G. CUTTING.

SHOW CASE.

No. 383,867; Patented June 5, 1888.

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FRED C. CUTTING, OF LOVELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOW-CASE.

SPEC'FICATION forming part o1' Letters Patent No. 383,867, dated June 5.1888.

Application tiled April S, 1887.

To CZZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, FRED C. CUTTING, a citizenof the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and Gommonwealt-h of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Show- Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to show-cases; and it consists in the devices and combinations hereinafter described and claimed, whereby a series of trays pivoted in a common frame and normally resting upon each other may be lifted and held out of contact with each other to allow the contents of the different trays t0 be inspected.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an isometric view of my improved show-case, with the trays lifted out of contact with each other;` Fig. 2, a side elevation of the showcase closed, a part of the frame and a part of one of the trays being broken away to show the construction of the hinge and of a part of a holding mechanism; Fig. 3, an elevation of the inside of one of the uprights ofthe frame; Fig. 4, a plan of the under side of one of the drawers and a horizontal section of the uprights of the frame and a plan of the under side of the top of the frame; Fig.V 5, a vertical section of the front portion of a tray at the middle of the same.

The frame A of the showcase consists of thel bottom tray, T, which forms the base of the show-case, two uprights, a a', secured to the sides of the tray T, and a horizontal top, a2, secured to the upper ends of the uprights a a. All of the trays above the bottom tray, T, are hinged to the frame of the showcase, each movable tray, T,` being provided on each side with a backwardly-extending strip, i, preferably of metal, each of said strips being provided with ahole, t', nearits rear end. Through the-holes t are placed horizontal pivot-rods t2, the ends of said rods being secured in the uprights a a of the :frame A, and on these pivot-rods the trays T may be turned by lifting the front ends of said trays. The pivotrods t2 are arranged at such a distance apart as to allow each tray to rest when the case is closed upon the one immediately below it and to serve as a cover for the same to exclude dust therefrom, and the strips t extend back Serial Nam-1.114. (No model.)

of the trays, in order that each tray when raised may be entirely out of contact at its rear end with the tray immediately below it and may not interfere with the raising of the lastnamed tray. Each of the movable trays T is provided with a suitable handle, t3.

To the inside of each of the uprights a: a are secured as many arc shaped racks R as there are movable trays, and for convenience all of the racks on the same upright may be cast ina single piece, as shown at R in Fig. 3, the piece R being let into a recess, i" r', in the upright and held in place by screws fr, and the racks R being concentric with the pivots t2. To each of the movable trays are secured two spring-pawls,P P', at the rear end of said pawls and at the rear ends of the sides ofthe trays. the front ends of said pawls being provided with lateral projections or teeth p p', adapted to engage the teeth of the racks R, the pawls being `forced outward by their' own elasticity. (See Figs. 2 and 4.)

To the under side of each movable tray is pivoted a threearmed lever, L, at Z. One arm, Z', ofthe lever L is infront of the pivot or fulcrum Z, another, Z2, is behind said fulcrum, and the third, Z3, is at the side of said fulcrum. Another lever, L', is pivoted at the front of each tray upon a horizontal fulcruni, the lower end of said lever L being connected by a rod, Z6, to the arm Z3 of the lever L, so that pushing the upper end of the lever L backward turns the lever L upon its fulcrum. The arms Z Z2 are connected by rods ZG Z7 to the pawls P P, respectively, near the front ends of said pawls, so that pushing backward the upper end of the lever L draws the free ends of said pawls away from the uprights a a and out of engagement with the racks. The upper end of t-he lever L may be conveniently pushed backward by the thumb at the same time that the handle of the tray is raised or lowered by the fingers of the same hand, the upper end of said lever L projecting through the front of the tray, as shown in Fig. 5. When the trays are raised, they are held at any desired height by the engagement of the pawls with the racks, and of course are readily restored to the position they occupy in Fig. 2 by disengaging the pawls and racks, as above described.

It is intended to use the trays for the recep IOO tion and display ot small wares-such as buttons, gloves, hosiery, and other similar articles--in stores,theshowcase being placed upon the counter of the store or upon a suitable table.

If the rod Z5 is allowed to project in front of the movable tray, the lever L may dispensed with. y

I claim as my inventionl. The combination ofthe frame, atray pivoted in said frame, arc-shaped racks secured to said frame concentrically with the pivots of said tray, and pawls secured to said tray and engaging said racks to hold said tray in position when said tray is-turned on its pivots, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the frame,atraypiv oted in said frame, arcshaped racks secured to said frame coneentrically with the pivots of said tray, pawls secured to said tray and engaging said racks to hold said tray in position when said tray is turned on its pivots, a three-armed lever pivoted to said tray, rods connecting said pawls and said lever, and another rod connected to said lever and reaching to the front of said tray to enable said pawls to be withdrawn from said racks by pulling said lastnamed rod, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination ofthe frame, a tray pivoted in said frame, arc-shaped racks secured to said frame concentrically with the pivots of said tray, pawls secured to said tray and engaging said racks to hold said tray in position when said tray is turned on its pivots, athreearmed lever pivoted toA said tray, rods oonnecting said pawls and said lever, another rod connected to said lever and reaching to the front of said tray, another lever pivoted to the front of said tray and connected at one end to said last-named rod, whereby turning said last-named lever upon its pivot will draw said pawls out of engagement with said racks, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of the frame, aseries of 45 trays arranged one above the other, each tray normally resting upon and covering the tray next below it, strips secured one to each side of each tray and extending back of said tray and provided with a hole back of said tray, and pivot-rods,each passingthrough the holes of the strips secured to one of said trays to enable each of said trays to be turned upon its pivot-rod without interfering with the tray next below the same, as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination of the frame consisting of a bottom tray, uprights secured to said bottom tray, and ahorizontal top connectiugsaid uprights, a series of trays arranged one above the other and above said bottom tray, each tray of said series normally resting upon and Vcovering the tray next below it, said last- FRED C. CUTTING.

Witnesses:

ALBERT M. MOORE, OHARLEs E. FLooD. 

